Bowling score projector



Aug. 7, 1945. -J. B. COKER BOWLING SCORE PROJECTOR Filed April 10, 19422 She et S -Sheefc 1 INVENTOR Bar. n 0

J. B. COKER BOWLING SCORE PROJECTOR Aug. 7, 1945.

Filed Apr ii 10, 1942 O 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 e k am R v wa w N n4 R.. w o Av .0.

Patented Aug. 7, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca BOWLING SCOREPROJECTOR John B. Coker, San Diego, Calif., assignor to TheBrunswick-,Balke-Collender Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofDelaware Application April 10, 1942, Serial No. 438,368

7 Claims.

This invention relates to projectors, and more particularly contemplatesapparatus adapted for disposition at the back of the playing area of abowling alley for projecting an image of the score recorded on a sheetonto a screen located where it will be visible to the scorekeeper,contestants and spectators alike. I

Bowling scores are commonly recorded on quadrille-ruled sheets providingvertically arranged spaces -for the names of the contestants, the scorefor each contestant being marked as the game progresses in squares orframes extending laterally across the sheet opposite each name. By sucharrangement the current scores of the various contestants at anyparticular period during the game will be vertically aligned forcomparison in adjacent squares opposite the respective names. tice toutilize a score sheet on which the names and scores of the contestantsof each team are In team play it is a common pracrecorded in horizontallines as just indicated, with the score lines for the contestants of therespective teams assembled in team groups which are arranged one abovethe other.

Apparatus for projecting an image of the score sheet of the characterabove alluded to onto a screen suitably located is well known. Thescreen is ordinarily placed in front of the playing area, preferably atthe head of the alley, so that the contestants may see it. but with suchdisposition, the screen must be sufficiently large in order to belegible to spectators located at the rear of the playing area.Projecting apparatus of the prior art, however, is only adapted toregister an image of the scores of the respective teams in the samerelative positions as on the score sheet, i. e., with the team scoresarranged in vertical alignment. In bowling alley establishments havinglow ceilings such apparatus is impractical because a screen having avertical dimension sufiicient to accommodate the image will necessarilybe of such size as to restrict the view of the pins at the opposite endof the alley by the contestants and others located at the head of thealley.

It is a. general object of the present invention to provide a bowlingscore projector which is adapted to obviate the above-indicateddisadvantages in prior art structures by the embodiment of a dualoptical system operable to form separate images of the team group scoresand to cast the same onto the screen side by side.

Another object is the provision of a split lens for dividing a beam oflight emanating from a single light source below the score sheet, and todirect separate beams of light through the portions of the sheet onwhich the respective team scores are recorded to separate objectivelenses mounted thereabove on which images of the respective team scoresare recorded.

Another object is to provide pivotal mountings for reflecting mediajuxtaposed adjacent respective objective lenses to cast separatereflections of the images registered on said objectives obliquelyupwardly at variable angles onto a screen located above the playing area9r alley, whereby the apparatus may be adjusted to meet specificrequirements.

Other objects and salient features of my invention, as for exampleeconomy of manufacture, simplicity of construction, and adaptability foruse of the apparatus in alleys of difierent design and arrangement, willbe apparent to those of skill in the art upon an examination of thefollowing description read in the light of the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspeptive view, of the projector and screen, illustratingparticularly the arrangement of the score sheet on the top of theprojector cabinet and the transposition of the respective team scoresrelative to one another effected by the projection of the images of thescores onto the screen; 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the projector cabinet depicting in dottedlines the light source, the condenser lenses, and. the split lens fordividing the beam of light collected and directed upwardly by thecondenser;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the cabinet;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the casing which enclosesthe objective lenses and the reflecting media, showing oneof thesupports for the casing in broken elevation;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal view through the casing showing one of thebrackets by which the two pairs of mirrors are secured in adjustedposition, and, the mirrors by which tha separate imagecarrying beams aredirected forwardly and upwardly from the casing;

Fig. '7 is a schematic drawing of the system of lenses and mirrorsemployed in the embodiment herein disclosed, illustrating the manner inwhich the light rays are divided, refracted, and reflected by theoptical system;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View, partially broken away through thetranslucent top of the cabinet showing the score sheet thereon, andillustrating one of the lenses by which the light beam is divided;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the top portion of the cabinet onwhich the score sheet is supported.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numerals of which indicatesimilar parts throughout the several views, In designates generally athin cabinet for the support of a score sheet, hereinafter described.The lower rearward portion of the cabinet is recessed as at II toaccommodate the feet of the scorekeeper when he is seated in back of thecabinet in a position most convenient for recording the score as thegame progresses. The top of the cabinet is formed in two sections l2 andI3, respectively, the latter covering the rearward portion of thecabinet and being declined rearwardly. A translucent panel I4 is fittedinto an opening in the top section to afford a convenient writingsurface on which the score sheet I5 is placed as indicated in Figs. 1,2, 8 and 9. The score sheet l5, which, the projector is adapted toaccommodate, is of a conventional type com-- is quadrille-ruled to formvertically-arranged spaces It at the left side thereof for the names ofthe contestants of each team, and a plurality of squares or "frames" l'lextending to the right edge of the sheet opposite each name-space ii forthe recordation of the scores registered by the respective contestants.The lines of "frames" I! for the scores of contestants of the respectiveteams are arranged on the sheet in groups one above the other as isgenerally illustrated in Fig. 1. This enables the use of a much narrowercabinet than would be possible if the team score spaces were placed sideby side, i. e., if the groups of lines for the respective team scoreswere arranged on the sheet end to end. As cabinet I3 is located in theplaying area for most convenient use, it necessarily tends to restrictthe movements of the players and, accordingly, any factor whichcontributes to a reduction in width of the cabinet is important. Thecabinet is preferably positioned so that the scorekeeper, seated behindit, may face toward the opposite end of the alley to more easily observethe pins and the results of each ball delivered for recording the scoreson the sheet.

A bracket I8, mounted within the cabinet .below top panel l4, provides asupport for an electric bulb socket I9 into which bulb is threaded tofurnish a source of light.- A concave reflector 2| is secured bysuitable means below bulb 20 to direct a concentrated beam of lightupwardly. A pair 'of lenses, 2l-2I comprising a condenser system, aresecured in frames 22 mounted in the cabinet under panel 14 andsubstantially parallel therewith. The lenses 2l-2l are each plano-convexand are arranged in their respective frames 22 with their convexsurfaces opposed and adjacent to one another. A pair of lens frames 23(Fig. 8) are secured to opposite sides of the top section 13 of thecabinet under opposite edges of the panel for mounting the tapered edgesof a pair of lenses 24 and 25 which are adapted to split the beam oflight. Each lens 24 and 25 comprises a diametric segment of a circularpiano-convex lens, the segasst-sec so as to converge rays of lightdirected upwardly therethrough. The axially parallel sides of the lensesare heldin abutting relationship and parallel to the back side of thecabinet by'brackets 23 which retain the lenses in-positions whereby theteam score rulings of score sheet 15 will be coaxially aligned withrespective lenses 24 and 25 when the sheet is properly arranged on thepanel. 23 indicates a strip of soft material disposed between the topsection of the cabinet and the tapered edges of the lenses to obviatevibration of the lenses within the cabinet, the effect of which would begreatly magnified in the projected image.

A tubular. mounting 21 for an objective lens casing 23 has its endssecurely fastened in the top of the cabinet adjacent opposite sidesthereof and on the lines of joinder of the top section l2 and I3.Straight reaches 25 of the mounting extend upwardly from. the cabinetparallel to one another and perpendicular to the panel. From the top ofreaches 29'the mounting 21 diverges outwardly and rearw'ardly and thenenters a loop 33 which comprises the upper portion of the mounting. Thecasing 23 which is circular in cross section is secured to the mounting21 by a forward edge 3| of the casing which turns over loop 35 in orderto support the casing with its transverse axisp rpendicular to panel IIand passing through the score sheet intermediate the respectiveteam'score spaces. The rearward end of the cylindrical casing 28 isenclosed by an imperi'orate circular cover 32. The opposite or forwardend of the casing is similarly closed by a circular plate 33 havingapair of spaced openings 33 therein which are located in opposite lowerquadrants of the plate for the projection of beams of light carrying theimages of the respective team scores, as will appear.

Within the casing a pair of spaced vertical supports 35 are disposed,having lugs 36 integral with their opposite lower portions which aresecured by suitable means to the edges of the end plates 32 and 33,respectively. An opening 3'! is formed in the upper portion of eachsupport, which openings 31 are offset axially with respect to oneanother to provide a pair of lateral light passages. The edges 38 ofsupports 35 below openings 31 therein, respectively, diverge outwardly,to each of which edges the lower end of a mirror frame 39 is secured.The upper edges of the mirrors, ll, carried by the respective frames,extend obliquely upward in intersecting planes being rigidly secured inthe casing against dislodgement by the attachment of the upper edges oftheir frames 39 to opposite side edges of a transverse supporting member4| having its ends secured to opposed end plates 32 and 33 adiacentthe-upper arc of casing 23 by angle pieces 41. The lower portion ofcasing 28 is cut away as at 43 to admit into the casing the rays oflight converged by the condenser system 2l-2l and the lens segments 23and 25, respectively, it being understood that the mirrors III arepositioned to direct these rays in relatively opposite directionsthrough the respective openings 31 of supports 35. A piano-convexobjective lens 34 is fitted in each opening '31, being fastened to thesupports 35 by suitable means (not shown) with the convex surfacesopposed to one another.

The light rays directed through the respective object lenses M arereflected downwardly at opposite sides of the casing by mirrors 5mounted in frames 45 pivotally supported between arms 41 diverging fromthe supports 35 and integral extensions 33 of opposite sides of thesupporting member 4|. The faces of mirrors are opposed to one anotherand each forms an angle 'with the mirrors 40 with which it is intransverse alignment to reflect'the image registered on its adjacentobjective lens 44 downwardly to a third mirror 49 of the series of whicheach mirror'is an intermediate reflecting expedient.

Mirrors 49 are pivotally connected to the supports 35 at opposite ,sidesof the casing 28 below the'respective mirrors 45 and in alignment withrespective openings 34in the forward end of the casing.

While the longitudinal axes of mirrors 49'are substantially parallel, itwill be. understood that these mirrors are preferably tilted slightly sothat their transverse axes form a slight angle therebetween whereby therays reflected by them respectively will not overlap as they divergetoward the screen, the location of which is about to be described.

The screen 50 (Fig. 1) is preferably disposed over the bowling alley infront of the playing area and at a suflicient elevation that it may beseen by the contestants in the playing area, the scorekeeper located inback of cabinet in at the rear of the playing area, as well as by thespectators for whom a gallery (not shown) is usually provided in back ofthe playing area. Screen 50 is rectangular to accommodate images of theteam scores side by side, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the height of thescreen being thus approximately one-half of the height required in ascreen to accommodate the images of the respective team scores ifarranged one above the other. This permits the location of the screen asuflicient distance above the alley or playing area, even in buildingshaving lower ceilings, to enable the contestants, scorekeeper andspectators to view the opposite end of the alley by looking under thescreen.

It will be observed that by varying the pivotal adjustment of the.mirrors 45 and 49 the angles formed between the image-carrying beamscast by the latter mirrors,respectively, and the longitudinal axis ofthe casing may be altered to enable the projection of the images onto ascreen variably located above the alley, and that by such adjustmentsthe beam carrying the image of the lower set of the teamscores asrecorded on the score sheet will be directed upwardly at a sharper anglethan the beam of light directed through th upper portion of the scoresheet by the upper half of the'composite split lens 24-25 as reflectedby the mirror 49 to which it is directed.

It willthus be seen that I have provided a projector adapted for use ina bowling alley for forming and casting separate images of differentportions of the score sheet onto a screen with the respectiveimagesarranged on the screen in a difierent relationship than the relativedisposition of the recorded scores of which the respective images areformed, on the sheet, and more specifically in a manner enabling the useof a screen having a comparatively smallvertical dimension withoutreduction in the size of the images recorded therein.

While I have illustrated and described but one rection to meet specificrequirements, and that the scope of such modifications is not limited bythe necessity for changes in size, design, shape, number and proportionof the parts or the incorporation of additional reflecting media, suchchanges being within the skill of thosein the art, and within the scopeof my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a projector for a score record in a bowling alley, a cabinethaving a light transmitting panel, a light transmitting score record onsaid panel, said record having opaque divisional lines thereon, andbeing arranged for recording, one above the other, the respective scoresof competing teams .of players, a light source supported at one side ofsaid panel, a condenser system disposed between said panel and the lightsource to direct a beam of light toward said panel, a

pair of lenses arranged adjacent one another between said condensersystem and said panel with their optical axes substantially parallel toone another and substantially perpendicular to the panel to divide abeam of light directed by said condenser system and to direct thedivisional beams thus formed, respectively, through the two portions ofthe score record, a pair of objective lenses supported at the oppositeside of said panel, a pair of reflectors positioned respectively in linewith said beams and inclined to direct said beams to said lensesrespectively, together with images of the respective portions of thescore record through which said beams pass, a second pair of inclinedreflectors respectively opposite said lenses, a screen disposed in asubstantially vertical plane at a distance from the cabinet, and a thirdpair of inclined reflectors disposed in lat- ,flectors of the secondpair to receive therefrom the respective beams and images projected bythe lenses, said third pair of reflectors being adjusted to reflect saidimages respectively onto separate horizontally aligned areas of thescreen in side by side relation.

2. In a projector for a score record in a bowling alley, a cabinethaving a light transmitting top panel, a light transmitting score recordon said panel, said record having opaque divisional lines thereon, andbeing arranged for recording, one above the other, the respective scoresof competing teams of players, a light source disposed at one side ofsaid panel, a condenser system interposed between said light source andsaid panel, a pair of lens segments each having sides coinciding withparallel chords of a circle having its center between said chords and onthe optical axis of the lens, means to support said lenses be tween thepanel and said condenser system with one of said sides of each lens inabutting relationship with one of the sides of the other of said lensesand approximately perpendicular to the alley, said lens segments beingdisposed respectively below the two portions of the score recorddesigned to receive the respective scores of competing teams so as tocast separate beams of light upwardly through said portions of the scorerecord, a substantially vertical screen supported at a distance from thecabinet, and a pair of separate objective lens-and-reflector systemssupported at the opposite side of the panel in positions to registerrespectively the images of the two score records cast by said separatebeams of light, and including a final pair of reflectors inclined towardthe screen and adjusted to cast said respective image separately thereonin horizontally aligned side by side relation.

3. In a projector for a score record in a bowling alley, a cabinethaving a light transmitting top panel, a light transmitting score recordon said panel, said record having opaque divisional lines thereon, andbeing arranged for recording, one above the other, the respective scoresof competing teams of players, a light source arranged at one side ofsaid panel, a condenser system disposed between said light source andpanel to direct a concentrated beam of light to said panel, and throughlight transmitting parts of said score record, a pair of lens segmentshaving separate optical axes arranged between the condenser system andthe panel in adjacent relationship with their axes substantiallyparallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to said panel todivide said beam of light into two divisional beams, said lens segmentsbeing disposed respectively below the two portions of the score recorddesigned to receive the respective scores of competing teams so as tocast the separate beams of light upwardly through said portions of thescore record, a substantially vertical screen disposed at a distancefrom the cabinet, a pair of objective lenses supported at the oppositeside of said panel above the cabinet, and a series of three reflectorsoperatively disposed in relation to each of said lenses, said lenses andtheir as sociated series of reflectors being positioned to receive andtransmit respectively the images of the two score records cast by saiddivisional beams of light, at least one reflector of each series beingtiltably mounted and adjustable to direct the reflected beam and imageonto the screen, said tiltable reflectors being relatively adjustable toposition the respective images of the two score records in separateareas of the screen horizontally aligned in side by side relationthereon.

4. In combination, a substantially vertical screen, an approximatelyhorizontal light transmitting desk panel subdivided into an upper areaand a lower area mounted at a distance from said screen with said upperarea nearer the screen than the lower area, and means for projecting'separate images of said areas in horizontally aligned, side by siderelation on the screen comprising illuminating means below the panelproviding two separate lights beams both directed upwardly through saidareas respectively, a pair of oppositely inclined reflectors mounted,above the two areas of the panel respectively, each inter'cpting'thevertical beam from one of said areas and registering an image of saidarea, said reflectorscasting said beams and images laterally in bppositedirections, a pair of objective lenses disposed respectivel oppositesaid reflectors in' position to receive the respective beams and imagestherefrom and to project the same horizontally, a second pair ofreflectors each intersecting the axis of one of said lenses and inclinedto direct the beam and image therefrom vertically, and a third pair ofreflectors disposed respectively in vertical alignment with thereflectors of the second pair and both inclined toward the screen atsubstantially the same angle thereto but with the perpendiculars fromtheir reflecting faces at a slight angle to each other sufllcient todirect the reflected beams divergently toward the screen insuringcomplete lateral separation of the images of said upper and lower areasprojected in side by side relation on the screen.

5. In the combination defined in claim 4, pivotal supporting means forthe reflectors of the second and third pairs upon which each of saidreflectors is tiltably adjustable to vary its inclination for accuratelylocating the projected images as desired upon the screen.

6. In combination, a substantially vertical screen, a light transmittingpanel subdivided into an upper area and a lower area mounted at adistance from said screen, and an optical system for projecting separateimages of said areas in horizontally aligned, side by side relation onthe screen comprising a, light source at one side of the panel, acondenser system directing the light toward said panel, a pair of splitlenses positioned between the condenser system and the panel andrespectively adjacent said two areas of the panel to direct separatebeams of light through said areas respectively, separate objectivelenses'mounted at the other side of said panel and arranged to receivethe respective beams and to transmit images of the upper and lower areasrespectively, together with pivotally mounted and adjustable reflectorsjuxtaposed adjacent each respective objective lens adjusted to castseparate reflections of the images registered on the objectives from thetwo panel areas upon the screen in side by side relation.

7. In combination, a substantially vertical screen, an approximatelyhorizontal light transmitting desk panel subdivided into an upper areaand a lower area mounted at a distance from said screen with said upperarea nearer the screen than the lower area, and means for projectingseparate images of said areas in horizontally aligned, side by siderelation on the screen comprising illuminating means below the panelproviding two separate light beams both directed upwardly through saidareas respectively, a casing mounted above said panel and having an opening positioned to admit said beams, a pair of oppositely inclinedreflectors in the casing disposed over different portions of saidopening in position to receive said beams respectively, a pair ofobjective lenses in the casing, each opposite one of said reflectors inposition to receive and transmit the beam from one of said areastogether with an image of said area, a second pair of inclinedreflectors in the casing pivotally adjustable to vary their inclinationand disposed respectively opposite said objective lenses, and a thirdpair of reflectors in the casing inclined to-- ward said screen anddisposed respectively opposite the reflectors of thesecond pair, saidthird pair of reflectors being adjusted to receive the light beams andimages transmitted to the second pair and reflected therefromrespectively and to project separate images of said upper and lowerareas of the panel onto said screen in side by side relation.

JOHN B. COKER.

